How to Declutter Your Home, According to Organizing Experts

It's amazing how even the smallest spaces can collect the most stuff (read: junk). Instead of letting the clutter pile up, take control of your home by following these expert tips. And if your home is really in need of an overhaul, check out these top-rated organizing products.

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Betsy Farrell

Declutter Your Kitchen

Messes materialize the fastest in the heart of your home. Keep it clean and tidy (until your kids roll through) with some pro advice.

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Scott Rickels

Expand Cabinet Storage

When it comes to the kitchen, it's what's on the inside that counts. Make the most of your cabinet space — no matter how small — with a quick DIY project. "Mount a rack on the back of a cabinet or pantry door, or try a roll-out rack in a lower cupboard to amp up cabinet space," recommends organizing expert Alejandra Costello.

"Bulky pots and pans can quickly gobble up valuable cabinet space," says Alison Victoria, host of HGTV’s Kitchen Crashers. "Be like Julia Child and put them on display — just hang from S-hooks on a pegboard or from a suspended pot rack." Now, go and be like Julia Child!

As a general rule, spices stay fresh for roughly four years. If you've had the same container of coriander for more years than you can count, ditch it. When it comes time to organize, either place them alphabetically or categorize them by use. Or just get one of these handy spice organizers that does the work for you.

At this point, your bathroom practically has as many products as a Target beauty aisle. There are the scattered cotton pads, expired mascara tubes, an assortment of toilet bowl cleaners, just to name a few. That ends now.

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Stephani Buchman

Toss Expired Products

When was the last time you checked the expiration date on a bottle of sunscreen? Exactly. "Take 20 minutes every three months to pull everything out of your bathroom cabinets and check expiration dates. Throw out all expired products and items that you just don't like," says Susan Santoro, owner of Organized 31. Not sure when something's actually expired? Check out this helpful guide.

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Alec Hemer

Keep Towels on Hand

If you're short on closet space, then bring your everyday linens right into the bathroom. Stuff decorative wicker baskets with bath towels for a practical yet stylish accent.

Instead of filling up your precious vanity space, take advantage of the space below the sink with labeled baskets, bins, or stackable plastic drawers. Decide what's worth keeping by following HGTV and DIY Network's Matt Muenster's trick: "Tuck everything away out of sight and watch what builds up over the next two to three days. Those items are worth keeping in an easy-to-reach spot. Everything else should be packed away."

If you're tight on closet space, under-the-bed storage works wonders. Store any out of season clothes or accessories in space-saving vacuum storage bags or foldable fabric storage. Before storing any apparel, toss any that has rips, stains, or pulls.

A cluttered desk and a cluttered mind go hand in hand. Make your office space productive again by listening to the experts.

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Mark Scott

Follow the Rule of Three

Open shelves are great in theory — until you fill 'em tchotchkes, knick-knacks, and straight-up clutter. "Restrict non-book items to a maximum of three per shelf," says Melissa Picheny, founder of declutter+design. "Their sizes and shapes can vary, but relate the pieces by color or theme — say, ceramic vases in shades of cream."

If you fill your bookshelf to the brim, then you won't have any room to continue growing your collection. Good point, huh? "The goal is to leave at least 10% of each shelf bare and book-free," explains Justin Klonsky, author of Organize & Create Discipline. "Before filling bookshelves, do a side-by-side comparison, ask yourself: If I could keep only one of these two volumes, which would it be?" (Remember, you can store everything else on an e-reader.)

Between chargers, lamp cords, and laptop wires, your desk can quickly become a maze. Secure wires in a cable box, which keeps things tidy, or install a shelf with cable “ports." You can also use decorative washi tape to label cords for easier use.

You live here — and it sure looks like it. Give your living space a warm, cozy, and functional feel with these decluttering tips.

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Mike Garten

Clear the Coffee Table

Coffee tables are the focal point of most living rooms. As tempting as it may be to cover it with books, candles, and flowers, prop stylist Stephanie Hanes recommends you keep it as clear as possible. "To give the illusion that a room is a clutter-free, the top of the coffee table should be 75% clear. Styles with drawers or shelves below the surface will get you there fast," she says.

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Michael J Lee

Create Good Flow

"It’s not as much about where you put your furniture as it is about the types of pieces you choose. In each room I design, I tryto include at least one round piece, such as a coffee table, that people can walk around without bumping their knees," says interior designer Katie Rosenfeld. She also recommends filling the space with versatile pieces like an ottoman, which can be used to sit or to hold a drink.

"Corral smaller items — vases, candles, and decorative accents — on a handled tray that’s easy to relocate when company's coming," saysKlonsky. Because we're clearly more inclined to clean our house for guests rather than ourselves.

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Rachel Whiting

Pair Pillows by Color

Whatever you do, don't go overboard on the throw pillows. "Stick to a trio in complementary colors and patterns — always have at least one solid — for most sofas," saysPicheny. A massive couch, however, can handle five pillows — two solids, three patterned.

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